There was at least one bright spot the UCF football team can point to about the 12 penalties the Knights recorded against Temple last week.

Not one of those was a targeting violation.

On the other hand, the Knights already own half of the four targeting violations committed by American Athletic Conference teams this season. Coaches are hoping that number won't increase during what is expected to be a physical game against UConn Saturday.

Targeting rules were introduced to NCAA football in 2008 in an effort to reduce traumatic head injuries and the rule was amended in 2013 to include automatic ejections for players charged with hitting opponents with the crown of their helmets or hitting defenseless opponents above the shoulders. The rule saw another change entering this season, with replay officials who automatically review all targeting calls empowered to flag a targeting violation even if the refs on the field miss it.

UCF coaches and players agree player safety is the top priority, but they admit the rule has drastically altered the way defenses play.

"I think coaches absolutely have to coach for the targeting rule. You're crazy if you don't coach your guys to hit in the strike zone. Low hits can be called; high hits are definitely going to be called," UCF coach Scott Frost said.

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University of Central Florida football coach Josh Heupel answers questions about his first National Signing Day at UCF, during a press conference, Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2018. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)

University of Central Florida football coach Josh Heupel answers questions about his first National Signing Day at UCF, during a press conference, Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2018. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)

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University of Central Florida football coach Josh Heupel answers questions about his first National Signing Day at UCF, during a press conference, Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2018. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)

University of Central Florida football coach Josh Heupel answers questions about his first National Signing Day at UCF, during a press conference, Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2018. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)

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Brant Parsons and Matt Murschel talk about National Signing Day for UCF, USF, FSU, UF, and UM.

Brant Parsons and Matt Murschel talk about National Signing Day for UCF, USF, FSU, UF, and UM.

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Gov. Rick Scott congratulated the undefeated UCF football team during a team meeting on campus Thursday.

Gov. Rick Scott congratulated the undefeated UCF football team during a team meeting on campus Thursday.

"The thing I think we have to be careful of is throwing the flag if someone's on the ground. You know this is a violent game and there are always going to be minor injuries and there are going to be more serious injuries. But we can't wait to see if someone is hurt or not and then throw a flag. I think the motion of that sometimes influence the decisions."

Two of the Knights' linebackers, Demeitrie Brim and Mark Rucker, have been called for targeting this season. Rucker missed the first half against Temple after being accidentally pushed into East Carolina quarterback Philip Nelson on Oct. 1.

And that fact hasn't been lost on coaches and players this week as the team will prepare to play the Huskies Saturday afternoon. The weather forecast calls for a chilly...

It's no secret the UCF football team hasn't traditionally performed well in cold and rainy conditions. (See UCF vs. UConn 2014).

And that fact hasn't been lost on coaches and players this week as the team will prepare to play the Huskies Saturday afternoon. The weather forecast calls for a chilly...

(Shannon Green)

Brim was called for targeting in the first half against Michigan after leading with his shoulder during a hit against receiver Eddie McDoom.

Since the rule changed to include automatic ejections, Brim said it has made him slightly more anxious to lower the boom on big hits.

"[Targeting] changes a lot. You have to focus more on attacking players in the strike zone and pretty much staying away from their upper body," Brim said. "It's kind of hard and difficult for most players, especially taller linebackers, taller defensive backs, but at the same time it's all about player safety and you just have to do the best you can and hopefully still play aggressive and not get called for targeting."

Brim has a legitimate concern.

So far in 2016, there have been a total of 72 targeting violations upheld through 406 games. There were 72 targeting violations overall for the entire 2014 college football season.

The average number of targeting calls per game are trending upward, although just by marginal numbers. In 2014, there was an average of 0.09 calls. That grew to 0.14 in 2015 and the figure is 0.18 so far this season.

UConn coach Bob Diaco, a former defensive coordinator at Notre Dame, said he wishes there could be tweaks to how targeting calls are identified. For example, a similar, but lower grade penalty like unsportsmanlike conduct could be called first and then the replay official could determine if targeting was present first before there was an automatic assumption of targeting.

Even still, Diaco said he's seen much improvement in how the rule is used and believes it has made college football an all around better game.

"The game is safer than it's ever been, by far," Diaco said. "The rule was a great thing and it was a catalyst for all this new teaching and the new teaching has been tough and hard to diagnose and get implemented and it's created a lot more points, but that's OK. It's all consistent and it's good for the players and I hope to someday think that we can have one common teaching progression for all age groups, Pop Warner through high school, college and then NFL football for exactly how to tackle players with the balls in their hands."